Wrap Yourself in the Fringes
Tallitot and tzitzit, Prayer shawls and 613 Commandments
Tallit
Germany
Sharon DeLevie
My mom likes to imagine that the burned stain on the tallit (top left in the photograph)is from about 60 years ago, when on a busy Yom Kippur morning, my great grandmother was ironing the tallit for my great-grandfather and she was so busy with many other things that she burned it. It may not be true, but that is what she imagines.
My mom and dad used this tallit as the chuppah at their wedding. My Mom wears it to services all the time for Shabbat morning and High Holidays. She has worn it since 5 years ago, any place that she went to services. We both like to play with the fringes at services and make braids in them.
Tallit
Russia
Herman Herbert
My great-grandfather, Herman Herbert, became a bar mitzvah in 1927 at Temple Tikvas Israel in Philadelphia. He wore this tallis on that day. Because he was \"becoming a man\" that day, his father allowed him to drive the family car to the synagogue even though he did not possess a driver\'s license or was, for that matter, old enough to legally drive!
My great-grandfather wore this to his bar mitzvah, 83 years ago and next year I will wear it at my bar mitzvah. I intend to pass it down to my children as well. Also, I hope that my great-grandfather will be able to attend my bar mitzvah in March 2012 and see me wear his old tallis for the first time.